Dreams, Diligence, and Difficulties I believe all people immigrating to the USA are for their dreams. Maria, who was the protagonist of “English as a Second Language". Maybe just came to the USA by chance. According to the story, she left her homeland because of a war. She lost her husband and two sons during the war. She suffered rough journey and fled from her country. After she arrived the USA, she got a job at a luxury hotel and she went to school learning her homeland language and English. I do not know which is at first: did she got a job then went to school? Or she went to school then got a job? But anyway, those two things formed her : fighting for a better life. She watched the TV show called “the big mouth game show”. Although she disliked the host kissing ad hugging a woman a lot, which is completely different from her original culture, she still dreamed that she could get a chance for this game because if she won she could get rewards of this game. That was plenty of money, which could make her life better. She went to school for improving herself. She worked hard for her studying. With her spiriting, her children also did very well in school. Her old daughter even got a scholarship from law school. She also got a literacy award for her studying.she went to the ceremony, getting a chance to make a speech. During her speech time, she was confused and uncomfortable with the environment, but she had to handle it. I think it is so common that every immigrant has to face it: the difference between two cultures. Living in a new culture and getting comfortable are not easy. Sometimes it is a kind of dilemma. The difficulties are more than our imaging.

As an immigrant We're looking for our roots in this land, Trying to plant ourselves deeply. Struggling to get rid of previous shadows is not easy, and getting settle is even more difficult. But this is our choices, our fates, and thoughtful people always keep painful.

My Life in the USA I have been the USA for over two years. Since I came here, I have been studying English in varying ways. First, I study ESL at a community college. At the beginning, I was at level 40, which is on the bottom of the middle level. Now I am at Level 80, which is the highest level of ESL. I also go to sorts of activities, which increase my vocabulary and learn more about American-style life. this year I got a job from CVS, in which I work as a cashier. I work night because at night people are not in a rush and they like to chat with someone else. It is a good benefit for me to practice my listening and speaking. I also make a friend from my ESL class. Elisa is a Spanish teacher. She said to me her daughters wanted to study Chinese. MY son also has been studying Spanish for over two years at school so I would like him to study more. We made a deal that she would teach my son Spanish and I would teach her daughters Chinese. Good idea! And I also began to learn how to trade stock in the USA stock market. I have been dong this business at china for over ten years.I opened an account last week and tried to buy a few stocks. it is very necessary I have to call help when I do not understand the meanings of the trading website, so I get many opportunities to practice my English when I call the customer associate. Wonderful and busy life, isn't it?

This time What do you prefer? Crowded or alone? To be with general mass, or isolated with others? I would like to be with the crowd, to enjoy their liveliness, but I never want to be crowded with chasing or accomplishing

the fish 试翻译姚贝娜《鱼》 I am a fish looking at you who are being out of the tank. Taping on the glass,you smile to me and leave. I Swim and swim, almost forgetting you quickly, even the distance of you and me. Cuddling your reflection in the water, I will look forward to you again close to me. I am eager to lie in your warm palm to feel you,hug you and kiss you. It's a pity that I can only swim a lot pretending to be a fish which only has seven seconds of memory. I am a fish, a fish...... I am a fish, so I don't understand your words. I am keeping silence in the water to breath and do not want to close my eyes. While I swim and swim , I'll remember you and have you every expression. The water comes into my eyes with silence quietly It makes you fuzzy and separat you from me. I am so eager to lie in your warm palm, to feel you ,hug you and kiss you. kiss you..... It's a pity that I can only swim a lot Pretending to be a fish which only has seven seconds of memory ..... I am a fish , Only have seven seconds of memory

What I believe What I believe When I first time wen to my classroom of college, it was a gracious lady standing here. She was Patricia, my first ESL teacher. She was looking at me with smile when I came into the classroom. At that time I only arrived the USA three months. I missed a few sessions, so I felt not so comfortable with the class. The text book called" what I believe". There was no text essay in the book but many guides. We should listen to the recording carefully. For me, it was a kind of challenge. When I was in China, I did more reading than listening and speaking because I have no any chance to practice. After several classes, I started to understand how it worked. I found the essay online, and I wrote down the essay that I could copy it from Internet. At the beginning , I thought those stories were a little bit strange . It was different from my country culture. After I wrote down two or three essays that teacher explained them carefully and my classmates talked about them with each other, I started to like them. Yes, it was different from my culture, but all of them shined the glory of the human nature! What I believe? Different people believe different things that worthy different value, even if some of them only are ordinary people who have ordinary believes.

The aphorism If you can't bring happiness to yourself, please bring it to the others Sometimes I think the aphorism is very interesting. The day before yesterday , my English teacher Patricia told us with this:"there are many ways to skin a cat."She asked me if there was the similar aphorism in Chinese, I told her we had."Shu Tu tong gui" I said. She asked me to explain it, then I said:" it means there are many ways to do the same things." Today, when I walk dog nearby San Anselmo library garden, I saw this on the wall:"if you can not bring happiness to yourself, please bring it to the others." It seems to sound just like as Chinese people say:“己所不欲，勿施于人。”（if you do not want to do it, do not ask someone else to do it) in opposite. I like this more than chinese aphorism. Because it tells us what we should do not only we shouldn't do. It is more positive and more spirit for people.

My plan for new semester This semester I have taken four classes for ESL: Writing and Grammar; listening and speaking ; reading; customer service. I still remembered this spring semester my placement test was level 60, but I took a series of level 40 clas-ses. After spring semester, I did a placement test again, I got level 80. I knew that my test was better than my English level in real, I just took level 60 . I hope I can take level 80 next semester!

I have been loving you I have been loving you From sunset to sun rise I figure out the time When you should sleep When you might get up Imaging I can see your every action To feel your breath every time From sun rise to sunset I wait you to show up Give me a greeting feeling so delighted My heart beat faster with honey I have been loving you With my heart so clear and pure